


And Then He Flew

by Griffycryptid



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Goodbyes, Movie: Star Trek Nemesis (2002), Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22343191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Griffycryptid/pseuds/Griffycryptid
Summary: Huge spoilers for Star Trek TNG! Do not read unless you have seen Nemesis.Data makes a courageous choice to save the galaxy. Geordi assists him.
Relationships: Data & Geordi La Forge, Data/Geordi La Forge
Comments: 9
Kudos: 25





	And Then He Flew

**Author's Note:**

> Big spoilers for the Star Trek TNG movie Nemesis! This takes place during an important scene with Geordi and Data. I thought I'd add a bit more angst, but, frankly... did it really need any more?
> 
> Though this is marked as Data/LaForge, it can be read as platonic or romantic; that's why it's in the gen relationships setting. I purposefully made it toe the line. I just know they have a deep bond.

“That’s it. Transporters are down.” 

Geordi’s hands quivered as he removed them from the now-useless console. He’d beamed his captain off the enterprise with no return. 

His heart pounded in his ears as he tried to reassure himself. It had been an order, and logically he knew he wasn’t responsible if it all went to hell. But what if he’d lost the captain? What if...

_ No, I can’t think like that.  _ He stood up and crossed over to his friends, staring restlessly towards the Scimitar, the hostile Reman Warbird where his captain now stood alone. _ There’s gotta be some way he’ll come out of this all right. We’ll all be fine. That’s how it always goes… right? _

He was jolted from his thoughts by his best friend’s voice beside him. “Counselor Troi, please assume command,” said Data. His voice seemed to waver, but he was already turning to leave the bridge. “Geordi, come with me.” 

It took a moment for Geordi’s racing mind to fully comprehend the order as he stumbled to catch up with Data. The second officer and chief engineer walking off the bridge in an emergency?  _ He better have one hell of a plan _ , Geordi thought. Just a step from the turbolift, it dawned on him, and he stopped in his tracks. 

Data whirled around. “Geordi? Why have you stopped?”

“You’re going over there, aren’t you?” The question sounded more like an accusation. Data simply nodded. Geordi’s head was pounding now, frigid with dread. “No… no, you can’t…” 

“You must step into the turbolift now, Geordi.” Data said softly. “Please. That is an order.” 

Geordi shakily took the step over the threshold and into the small chamber. Data gave him an apologetic look as the doors closed, blocking their view to the bridge.

“Deck 8, forward,” he commanded to the computer. The turbolift shuddered into action, though deep clanking and grinding resonated from the walls around them as it made its way slowly down. The damage to the enterprise-e hadn’t been kind.

Geordi tried not to stare desperately at his closest friend. His mouth was dry. “Data, c’mon,” he managed. “There’s gotta be another way to bring him back.”

His friend hung his head slightly, a mannerism he learned from the captain. “I have calculated all the possibilities. There is only only one in which both goals can completed-- the rescue of the captain, and the destruction of the weapon-- I must board the Scimitar, beam the captain to safety, and destroy the weapon before it is fully charged.” 

Geordi was silent for a few seconds as the turbolift clanked ever down. “I see,” he said at last. “I understand you’ve still got that site-to-site transporter I designed for you, but you know as well as I do that it only works once. I’m assuming you’ll use it for the captain, then.” Data nodded. “In that case, how’re you gonna board the Scimitar?”

“That is what I need your help for. On deck 8 there is a stable corridor. I plan to run along it to the forward hull breach. At the last second, I will require you to deactivate the final force field in my path.” Data fixed a stare at Geordi-- damn, those eyes could be intense. Data’s voice was soft, however, when he spoke again. “Can you do that for me, Geordi?”

What Data was proposing would pull him directly forward into space, using his momentum coupled with the force of the vacuum to glide across… what, 1000 or so meters? If it were timed right, he’d end up flying at the enemy ship. It was a feat that clearly nobody else could manage. That made it hard to argue with Data-- this was one plan where Geordi couldn’t take his place. 

The turbolift clunked one final time, and they lurched forward as it ground to a stop. Deck 8. The doors opened to the grand destruction that scarred the ship, and Geordi fully realized the extent of how badly the Enterprise was damaged. They were no match for the reman warbird, which Geordi could see down the hallway, out across the void of space.

“Geordi,” came Data’s voice again. “I need your answer if we are to proceed.”

Geordi pursed his lips. “Yeah, I’ll do it for you, Data, but I don’t have to be happy about it.”

Data cocked his head and mimicked his friend’s expression. “I would not expect you to be.” He crossed into the hall and began walking at a swift pace towards the breach. “If my emotion chip were currently installed, I suspect that I would not be happy either.”

“Data,” Geordi said, forcing his voice not to break. “I don’t wanna lose you.”

“Nor do I want to leave you, but this is how it must be. It is the only logical course of action.”

“To hell with logic,” said Geordi, but they were already at their destination, and Data had stopped, staring out at the alien ship. Geordi could only gaze at his best friend’s face. He may never see it again.

“You’re actually gonna do it,” he whispered, his voice breaking at last. Data looked at him and nodded. His eyebrows were furrowed in that soft expression of concern Geordi was so familiar with. Data always claimed it was only an emulation of the average human’s expression, but Geordi had never believed him, least of all now, as they looked at each other wordlessly. It was so purely him. Care was etched into his brow and into the creases in the synthetic skin around his mouth. His eyes were darting slightly from side to side, presumably assessing the response of his companion. Geordi knew that Data’s halo, the slight glow around him that only he could pick up with his VISOR, would be warm and bright right now, but his new implants could not detect it as readily on their current settings. For a brief moment his heart ached as he realized how much he missed it, and how he would never stop missing it…

“Is there any chance, Data… any chance that you’ll survive this?” 

Data’s eyes darted off to the side as he computed the answer, then back to Geordi. “Theoretically, yes. But the chance is infinitesimal.”

Geordi swallowed. “How much?”

“There is a 0.000017% chance that I will be at salvageable after the explosion. Most likely, I will be decimated beyond any means of repair.”

“Well, I’ll hope for the best.”

“I would advise against it. As I said, it is extremely unlikely-”

“I’ve gotta hope I’ll see you again, Data.” there was a pressure in Geordi’s throat that made his words raspy, and he felt tears attempting to slip past his implants. He took a shaky breath. “I just have to, or else I don’t know what I’ll do. I dunno what I’ll do without you Data, I-”

Data cut him off by pulling him into an embrace. Geordi hugged him back as tight as he could. He held onto him as if he were keeping him by his side in that very act.  _ If I never let go, he’ll be safe forever,  _ a thoroughly illogical part of his mind insisted. But each second he held on, the galaxy was in more and more danger from the superweapon only a kilometer away. 

As they pulled away from each other, Geordi realized that he was crying. He wiped at his eyes with his uniform sleeves, and Data continued his instructions as though they were on any other mission.

“I will need you to activate this section’s force field after I cross the threshold. This will shield you from space when the furthermost force field is removed; it will need to be deactivated when I am 1.5 meters from it. Can you do that?”

“Yeah, I can. Any competent officer could do that, why’d you need me?” Geordi said with a weak attempt at a chuckle. 

“Because I would not have anyone else see me off the enterprise.” 

And with that, Data stepped over the threshold. Geordi took a deep inhale, his eyes flicking around to observe every detail of his friend, for what would seem to be the last time. After surveying his path again, Data turned back to Geordi. Their eyes locked.

Geordi hit the button on his PADD. The force field materialized between them with a  _ tzzap _ . Data’s gaze did not waver. Damn, there was so much in that gaze. A plea. An apology. Yearning, regret, and love. He seemed to wordlessly be asking Geordi,  _ “Is it okay? Are you ready for me to go?” _

_ No, I could never be ready, and I could never be okay,  _ Geordi thought. Nevertheless, he nodded to Data, hoping he conveyed his own wordless message;  _ I’m proud of you, I love you, and I forgive you for being so damn selfless. _ Data turned slowly away. He lingered a second longer. Then, he took off down the hall. 

30 meters from the breach. Data was transitioning from a jog into a sprint. 20 meters from the breach. He was speeding along. 10 meters from the breach. He’d be gone all too soon. 5 meters. 4 meters. 3. 2 …

Geordi nailed the button, and Data soared.

It was a captivating sight. He drifted through the air so serenely, so naturally. Geordi let his PADD fall to the floor, and slid down the wall onto his knees a second later.  _ I did it. There he goes. I’ve almost lost him.  _ His eyes kept zooming farther and farther in, tracking him as far as he could, devouring every last detail he could get from the sight of his friend. He flew ever closer to the Scimitar, now a small form against the cosmos. _ Damn, I wish I could see his halo now.  _

Wait a minute… Maybe he could.

He strained to change the settings in his implants, acknowledging the possibility that by the time he was finished it may be too late-- Data may be out of sight by then. He kept his view on Data as he switched rapidly through imaging settings.  _ Not that one, not that one, no-- there. _

Data’s warm, yellow glow entered his vision. He stood out against the darkness around him, looking like an angel blazing through the night. 

As he looked at his friend, it seemed to him that Data’s light was the brightest it had ever been.

He was beautiful.

...

And then he was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> I had to rewatch that scene a dozen times to try to get this as accurate as possible, and I'm not okay emotionally. I hope you're happy. I'm gonna go lie down and think about what I've done.


End file.
